PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby possibly knows more than a little about becoming the next great thing in hockey.
The excitement. The interest. The exertion. It can be overwhelming for an adolescent to manage, regardless of aptitude, motivation, or concentration.
When the Pittsburgh Penguins selected “Sid the Kid” first overall in the summer of 2005, weeks before his eighteenth birthday, Crosby was an adolescent exactly fifty years ago.
Everything was what the franchise and the city required of him. Crosby has consistently provided it beyond measure for most of the previous two decades.
Stanley Cup victoriousness. An elegant downtown venue. Due to a regional transformation, western Pennsylvania has become a hockey mecca. While representing the franchise and the league, he contributed to revitalizing 1,502 points, one rush, one pass, one goal, and one point.
On Tuesday night, when Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard glides onto the PPG Paints Arena ice and sees Sidney Crosby on the opposite side, it will not be as simple as seeing the player he has always revered. A mentor who is well-versed in the unique crucible Bedard, who was born two weeks before Crosby’s arrival in Pittsburgh and was selected No. 1 just weeks before his eighteenth birthday, will guide him for the next six months and potentially the next sixteen years… or longer.
Sidney Crosby possibly knows more than a little about becoming the next great thing in hockey.
“At this point, I believe he is more than prepared,” Crosby stated. “… He has been contending with the expectations for some time. At this juncture, it appears that he is eager to commence and complete the endeavour. You are capable of establishing connections with such matters.”
Although the future Hall of Famer and two-time Hart Trophy winner prefers not to spend too much time in the rearview mirror, Crosby can.
The 36-year-old acknowledges that he is no longer the marvel he once was. He has played a greater quantity of hockey in the past than in the present. He will eventually relinquish the title of the most recognizable active player in the sport he helped redefine. Connor McDavid, perhaps. Possibly Bedard. Perhaps another prodigy was captivated by the game due to an action performed by No. 87 on the ice.
The sparse yet conspicuous grey specks adorn Crosby’s hair should be clear to you. Although the league is becoming more saturated with “Next Sidney Crosby,” version 1.0 remains determined to demonstrate that the fire continues to blaze as brightly in his nineteenth season as it did in his inaugural.
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan stated, “It’s not by chance that he’s as good as he is.” “He is without a doubt an exceptional talent, but his hunger for the game is unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed.”
Sidney Crosby possibly knows more than a little about becoming the next great thing in hockey.
An appetite lacks a mechanism for cessation. Regardless, at least one that functions. Occasions will arise during the season when Sullivan is at home on an unusual night off when a text message from his longtime captain will appear on his phone.
“Hello, were you able to observe the Colorado power play?” “That is an exceptionally good play; we ought to consider it,” Sullivan remarked.
Crosby concedes with a shrug that while he does not watch hockey “every single night,” he invariably watches a game whenever the remote is in his grasp. The most intelligent competitor of his generation is unable to refrain. He absorbs hockey rather than studying it.
He stated, “It is difficult not to pick up on things or attempt to learn.” “I believe you should continue to educate yourself.”
An ongoing procedure that ceases to proceed. It remains nearly impossible to separate oneself from the puck and a player persistently seeking an advantage. Furthermore, this individual retains an unwavering capacity to foresee events, even though the legs that propelled the Penguins to three championships no longer generate the same level of confusion as they once did.
Sullivan described Crosby as “a wiser version of himself.” This is the kind of insight gained from 1,370 games of being held to a standard that few can match; perhaps more so than ever, Crosby embraces this standard.
Crosby appeared in all 82 games last season and tallied 33 goals and 60 assists, one of the few consistent performers in a turbulent campaign in which Pittsburgh made just 16 consecutive postseason appearances. Consistent with a player who has carried the captain’s “C” since he was of legal drinking age, Crosby bore most of the blame and disappointment even though most of the fault rested elsewhere.
Connor Bedard Is The NHL’s Latest ‘Next Sidney Crosby.’ The Original Has Plenty Left In The Tank.
Bedard, who has occasionally encountered his boyhood hero during his ascent to the NHL, is aware that he will presumably be entrusted with responsibility in the future, possibly earlier as opposed to later. Crosby has executed this aspect of the performance with such ease that it has become second nature.
Bedard stated, “His demeanor, both on and off the ice, is an incredible example for others to follow.” “He has been in that spotlight for nearly two decades and has handled it exceptionally well.” That feat is remarkably effortless to emulate, and I consistently do so.”
Excuse Bedard if he concedes that he might experience “starstruck” momentariness upon the puck’s descent. His “wow, I’m finally here” awe is anticipated to dissipate as soon as the game commences. Presumably a sound notion.
Although Crosby responded with a scowl when asked if he intended to impart any knowledge to Bedard, he recollects the moment he entered the league and witnessed the players, who were previously only discernible through the flickering of the family television in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, materialize before him in dazzling clarity.
“When I was younger and competing against an older opponent, I viewed it as an opportunity to challenge the best,” Crosby explained.
On Tuesday night, when the NHL’s future collides with its, well, it’s premature to call it the past, wouldn’t it be similar?
“It would be an incredible opportunity to go head-to-head against those guys if the young man is emerging or being touted as the best,” Crosby remarked. “Therefore, you cherish the chance to participate in NHL games each night. So that’s what I get up for.”
SOURCE – (AP)
